GB2140154A - Simulated solid fuel gas fires - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of the fires, a guide element(16) is adapted to lie between the bed (10) of pervious material and the body of simulated, refractory solid fuel elements (14), the guide element having first duct means (18) for leading gas from the bed (10) to a first distribution of opening (20) at the top (22) of the guide element (16) and second duct means (24) substantially separate from the first duct means (18) for leading air to a second distribution of opening (26) at the top (22) of the guide element (16) interspersed with said first distribution (20). Said first duct means (18) are formed as holes from top (22) to bottom (28) of the guide element (16) and said second duct means (24) are formed as holes (26) at the top of the guide element (16) and as passages (30) interconnected therewith and leading to opening (32) at the back (34) of the guide element(16). Said second duct means may alternatively comprise channels or pipes with the spaces therebetween constituting the first duct means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gas fire This invention relates to gas fires which simulate the effect of a solid fuel fire.

Such simulated solid fuel effect gas fires are known comprising an open-topped tray, a bed of refractory pervious material within the tray, gas inlet means to supplygaseousfuel to the bed, and a body of refractory simulated solid fuel elements above the bed, with spaces between the elements to allow gaseous fuel from the bed to penetrate between the elements. These fires (hereinafter referred to as "a fire ofthe type defined") are to some degree inefficient, mainlybecause the gas hasto burn with a luminous flame in orderto simulate the flames of a solid fuel fire.Attempts to supply air at particular places in the body of simulated solid fuel elements in order to change the manner of combustion ofthe gaseous fuel at those places and hence change the colour ofthe flame there in order to produce a more realistic effect have done little to improve the overall efficiency of such a fire, for example, because there are allowed to remain substantial areas of said body substantially with no improved air supply. Attempts have been made bythe present inventorto mix air with the gaseous fuel within the gas inlet means but, when sufficient air has been intermixed with the gaseous fuel to improve the efficiency of combustion substantially, there has been an overall reduction in the luminosity of the flames which seriously detracts from the realism ofthe effect.

The invention consists in a guide element constructed to lead gas from the bed of pervious material of a fire ofthe type defined to spaces between the solid fuel elements thereof and to lead airto those spaces substantially separated from the gas. While means to lead gas from the bed to the spaces and to lead airto those spaces substantially separately from the gas can be provided by re-designing the fire, there is substantial economy in the manufacturing process if such means are provided in the form of a guide element as this can be included without any re-designing ofthe fire (apart perhaps from fixing means for the element), i.e. no adaptation ofthe fire is contemplated.Also, the element can be made intheform of a separate unit suitable to be inserted loosely in an existing fire ofthe typedefinedtoadaptthefireto use of the guide element, with the advantage of improving the existing fire. According to a particular aspect of the invention, there is provided a guide element adapted to lie between the bed of pervious material and the body of simulated, refractory solid fuel elements of a fire ofthe type defined, the guide element having first duct meansfor leading gas from the bed to a first distribution of opening atthetopoftheguideelement and second duct means substantially separate from thefirstductmeansforleading airtoasecond distribution of opening atthe top ofthe guide element interspersed with said first distribution If said dis tributionsofopening extend over the majority of the top ofthe guide element, there is found to be better combustion.

For ease of manufacture, said first duct means may be formed as holes from top to botton of the guide element. For better combustion in this case, there can be provided a large number of said holes, saya dozen or more. Manufacture is also facilitated if said second duct means are formed as holes at the top ofthe guide element and passages interconnected therewith and leading to opening at the back or side region of the guide element. Again, combustion is improved ifthere is a large number of said holes ofthe second duct means, say a dozen or more. The manufacturing process can be furtherfacilitated if a plurality of said holes of the second duct means interconnects with each said passage, in the natureofa manifold.

Manufacturing is made even easier if, instead ofthe holes ofthe second duct means, the latter comprise channel means with distributed opening atthetop of the guide elementand leading to opening at the back or side region of the guide element. Although this works in some cases, it does nowt always give such good distribution of air as when said second duct means are formed as holes and passages as mentioned above.

The manufacture can be greatly simplified if the element is intheform of a plate, board or block.

The element can be made of metal but can be made more simply and cheaply of refractory non-metallic material.

The guide element can also be used to economise on the amount of solid fuel if it has an upraised central portion to replace some ofthe body of solid fuel elements.

The guide element can be placed in various ways in a fire of the type defined. If the element projects beyond the back edge of said bed of pervious material, this prevents gasfrom licking round the back of the guide element and drawing the majority of incoming air (usuallytaken in atthe back of the element) to burn with it and so prevent such airfrom travelling further forward into the fire. The forward distribution of air is further improved if the guide element has rearmost entrance opening forthe gas from the bed which opening extends beyond the bed to draw in air throughthis opening, as this helps still furtherto prevent gas from licking round the back of the element.

If the guide element stops short of the front edge of the tray of the fire and there is a row of solid fuel elements resting on the bed in front ofthe guide element (and even more so ifthe guide element stops short of the front and sides ofthe tray ofthefire and there is a row of solid fuel elements right round the side and front of the guide element), there is produced a kind of enclosure which improves the drawing action towards the centre of the fire and enhances the appearance and efficiencyofburning.

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. lisa top plan view of a guide element embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side viewofthe element of Fig. 1; Fig 3 is a bottom plan view ofthe element of Fig. 1; Fig.4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a back view ofthe element of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment ofthe invention; Fig. 7 is a back view ofthe embodiment of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a plan view of another alternative embodimentofthe invention; and Fig. 9 is a top perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, it is to be noted that Figs.

1 and 2 also indicatethe position ofthe guide element in a gas fire, the other parts which are shown by dashed lines.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1-5, means constructed too lead gas from the bed 10 of pervious material of a fire ofthe type defined to spaces 12 between the solid fuel elements 14thereofandto lead ai rto those spaces substantially separatelyfrom the gas are in the form of a guide element 16.The guide element is adapted to lie between the bed 10 of pervious material and the body of simulated, refractory solid fuel elements 14 of there of the type defined,the guide element having first duct means 18 for leading gas from the bed 10 to a first distribution of opening 20 atthetop 22 of the guide element 16 and second duct means 24 substantially separate from the first duct means 18 for leading airto a second distribution of opening 26 atthe top 22 of the guide element 16 interspersed with said first distribution 20.

As seen in Fig. 1, said distribution 20,26 extend over the maiority ofthetop of the guide element 16, said first duct means 18 are formed as holes from top 22 to bottom 28 ofthe guide element 16,there is a large number of said holes 18, said second duct means 24 are formed as holes 26 at the top of the guide element 16 and passages 30 interconnectedtherewith and leading to opening 32 atthe back 34 ofthe guide element 16 (though in an alternative embodiment, not shown, passages 30 could lead to opening atoneor each side region 36,38 oftheguide element 16), there is a large number ofsaid holes 26 ofthe second duct means 24, and a plurality of said holes 26 ofthe second duct means 24 interconnects with each said passage 30.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, said second duct means comprise channel means 40 with distributed opening 42 atthe top 22 ofthe guide element 16andleading to opening 44 at the back region 34 of the guide element 16 (though in an alternative embodiment, not shown, duct means 40 could be arranged from side to side af guide element 16 and lead to opening at either side thereof).

In both ofthe illustrated embodiments,theguide element 16 isformed from ceramic fibre board sold underthe trade description Morganite S Board, obtainable from Morganite Crucible Limited, which is a refractory non-metallic material, by boring the necessary holes or channels to produce the duct means described.

The guide element 16 may have an upraised central portion 46, Fig. 2, (through which the duct means described are extended as necessary,) to replace some ofthe body 48 of solid fuel elements 14.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in dashed lines, a fire 50 of thetypedescribed comprises a guideelementl6 having rearmost entrance opening (intheformofa row of rear openings 52 in the bottom 28 of guide element 16), which extends beyond the bed 10 (see Figs. 1 and 3), forthe gas from the bed 10 to draw in air through this opening.The guide element 16 stops short ofthefront and sides ofthe tray 54 ofthe fire and there is a row 56 of the solid fuel elements 14 4 right round the sides and front of said guide elementforthe purpose mentioned above.

The embodiments described with reference to Figs.

1-7 improvethemixtureofsecondaryairwith gas and improve the spread ofthis mixing overthe area of the tray. It isto be notedthatair and gas do not mix within the elementto any substantial extent This discounts e.g. seepage along passages 57 which may be providedfor pressure equalization.The provision of the row 56 of solid fuel elements 14 gives the effect of a sealed unit so that air is drawn in better as in a furnace and so that there is more air provided at the centre, though this arrangement acts as a spreaderto ensure that instead ofthe gas and flametogethertending to draw to the centre they are spread and ensurethat gas coming up just within the outer edge is spread outwards also which maximises the area ofthe flame pattern. lf theguide element issold alone, withoutthe fire, it is accompanied by instructionsforthe customer to set it up with one or more of the preferred features ofthe positioning ofthe guide element 16 in relation to the bed 10 and fuel elements 14, as described above.

Referring to Fig. 8, this shows an alternative embodiment in which the guide element comprises a series of pipes 58 interconnected by a framework 60 and having openings 62 atthetop connected by the pipes to rearopenings 64. The pipework provides the said second duct means forthe air and the spaces 66 between the pipework provide the said first duct means forthe gas.

Referring to Fig. 9, this shows yet another embodi ment in which a box 68with no top or back provides said second duct meansforair and is pierced with a distribution of small vertical pipes 70 which provide said first duct meansforthe gas.

In all the embodiments described, extra air is provided to all ofthe spaces between the solid fuel elements For each embodiment described, the guide element may have dimensions 23 cm. wide by cm. deep by 2.5 cm.thickwith all passages, openings and holes having diameter 1.8 except passages 57 which have diameter 2 mm.

Claims (22)

1. Aguide element constructed to leadgasfrom the bed of pervious material of a fire of the type defined to spaces between the solid fuel elements thereof and to lead airto those spaces substantially separately from the gas.

2. Aguideelementadaptedto lie between the bed of pervious material and the body of simulated, refractory solid fuel elements of a fire of the type defined, the guide element having first duct means for leading gas from the bedto a first distribution of opening at the top of the guide element and second duct means substantially separate from the first duct meansforleading airtoaseconddistribution of opening at the top of the guide element interspersed with said first distribution.

3. An element as claimed in Claim 2, in which said distribution of opening extends over the majority of the top ofthe guide element.

4. An element as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, in which said first duct means are formed as holes from top to bottom of the guide element.

5. An element as claimed in Claim 4, in which there is a large number of said holes.

6. An element as claimed in anyone of Claims 2 to 5, in which said second duct means are formed as holes at the top ofthe guide element and passages interconnected therewith and leading to opening at the back or side region ofthe guide element.

7. An element as claimed in Claim 6, in which there is a large number of said holes of the second duct means.

8. An element as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, in which a plurality of said holes of the second duct means interconnects with each said passage.

9. An element as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which said second duct means comprise channel means with distributed opening at the top of the guide element and leadingtotheopeningatthe backorside region ofthe guide element.

10. An element as claimed in any preceding claim, which is in the form of a plate, board or block.

11. An element as claimed in any preceding claim, which is made of refractory non-metallic material.

12. An element as claimed in any preceding claim, which has an upraised central portion to replace some ofthe body of solid fuel elements.

13. An element as claimed in any preceding claim, which is intheform of a separate unitsuitableto be inserted loosely in an existing fire ofthe type defined to adapt the fire to use ofthe guide element.

14. A guide element substantially according to any embodiment herein before described.

15. Aguide element substantially according to any embodiment herein before described with reference to, and illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

16. Afire ofthe type defined comprising a guide element as claimed in any preceding claim.

17. Afire as claimed in Claim 16 in which said guide element projects beyond the back edge of said bed of pervious material.

18. Afire as claimed in Claim 17, in which the guide element has rearmostentrance opening forthe gas from the bed which opening extends beyond the bed to draw in airthrough this opening.

19. Afire as claimed in any one of Claims 16to 18, in which said guide element stops short ofthe front edge of the tray of the fire and there is a row ofthe solid fuel elements resting on the bed in front ofthe guide etement.

20. Afire as claimed in Claim 19, in which the guide element stops short of the front and sides ofthe tray of the fire andthere is a row of the solid fuel elements right round the sides and front of said guide element.

21. Afire comprising a guide elementas claimed in Claim 1 or 2 and substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described.

22. Afire substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.